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Kim Vo on the Go

We're seeing a lot more long hair these days—a common solution as the weather warms up and clients clamor for greater flexibility in the face of the season's outdoor lifestyles. If your clients opt to grow their hair, your task is to maintain the color as the hair gets longer and to make sure expectations are realistic.

Kim Vo

The shorter the hair, the brighter the tips should be. With long hair, the opposite is true. The focus shifts as the hair grows, so the solution is to replace the lighter ends with several shades of highlights and lowlights applied from roots to ends. Strategically placed foils on the top and around the face will render a beautiful halo effect, balanced by just a few foils underneath.

When dealing with your clients' expectations for long hair, it's important to be realistic. How long a person's hair can grow hinges on several factors, including rate of growth (on average, a ½ inch per month), replacement growth (usually every three to five years) and texture (the finer the hair, the less likely it will be able to grow long). So if your client's hair grows at a rate of a ½ inch a month and replaces itself every three years, the longest her hair can get is 18 inches. Additional factors, such as increasing age, can slow hair growth and alter its texture.

Remember that with hair that's been repeatedly colored over the years, the ends begin to disintegrate, meaning longer hair needs regular treatments for healthy-looking shine. The good news is that there are a multitude of products that can help you achieve the desired effect. Thermal-guard sprays used before blow-drying cut down on negative heat effects. Many shampoos and conditioners contain ingredients like ME-10, which makes the hair dry up to 75 percent faster to ease blow-drying damage. Ionic hair dryers also do their part to preserve the hair, and longer locks can get a dramatic face-lift from thermal reconstructors. With a little effort, long hair can look its majestic best. —E-mail Kim Vo at b2vsalon@sbcglobal.net.

Warming Trend

Just in time for spring's warmer color palette, Wella Color Charm has introduced the Cashmere Collection, a six-shade extension to the liquid color line that will hit shelves this month. The natural warm shades, which range from level 3 to 8 (from Light Natural Warm Blonde to Dark Natural Warm Brown), are perfect for use when haircolor results appear flat or too neutral, or when gray coverage lacks depth. The opaque gray coverage eliminates the need to use the additives and modifiers that make results unpredictable. The results: natural-looking color with added warmth and radiant dimension. And thanks to the simple 1:2 mixing ratio, the entire Color Charm line is now easier to use and more economical than ever. colorcharm.com —L.A.

Better Than Ever

REDKEN's indispensable Color Extend line has just gotten even better at protecting color-treated hair and keeping it vibrant and shiny. The reformulated line, which consists of Shampoo, Conditioner, Rich Recovery protective treatment, Total Recharge detangling and strengthening spray and Shine Enrich protective shine serum, features the exclusive Interbond Conditioning System and Fade Resist Complex with UV filters. redken.com —L.A.

Highlights Go "Green"

At the recently renovated Patrick Melville Salon & Spa in New York City, Color Director Rick Wellman uses his proprietary eco-friendly Bio-Lights coloring technique on such A-list clients as Brooke Shields and Petra Nemcova. The technique eschews traditional foils in favor of 100-percent biodegradable white cloths. The cloths are better for the environment, and having a white background allows for greater precision. "The Bio-Lights technique yields a long-lasting beautiful color and shine and keeps the integrity of the hair in mind," Wellman says. "Plus, my clients consistently comment that the comfortable cotton pads feel like a cushion for their heads." —L.M.